Door mounted audio alerts function by alerting someone passing through the door of a message such as an alarm. Devices such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,288 work by determining when a device mounted on the door moves away from a device mounted on the door frame. When this happens, an alarm, such as a reminder to bring one's key, in this prior art patent, is made audible. U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,520 discloses another such device which functions by detecting when a door is open to a safe, by use of a switch.
One of the drawbacks of the prior art is that the accuracy of moving parts is relied upon. The door must open or close fully in order for a switch to be actuated between uses, the parts must remain lined up to each other between uses, and/or a switch has to continue to function properly after being moved. Moving parts break, rust, get covered by dirt and cease to function properly, and so forth. Further, such alarms are agnostic in terms of their message. The message cannot be tailored depending on which person is opening the door. Perhaps only, for example, a wife needs to be reminded to take her keys but a husband needs to be reminded to take the garbage out.
These and other limitations of the prior art are solved by embodiments described in the present disclosure.